Forever Falling
by ferrous
Summary: A story about the adventures of team RWBY as they struggle to understand each other's true feelings. The author is aware that, even for a first fic, it's terrible. As usual, all source material belongs to their respective owners.
1. Chapter 1

It was a Friday, and team RWBY was allotted their half hour in the exercise room. The four on the team decided to do at least three miles on the treadmills in under the time limit, which was generous to say the least.

Ruby is cute.

As the thought flitted across Weiss's mind, she inadvertently blushed and almost tripped on the treadmill she was currently running on. What was she thinking, running on the treadmill directly behind her team leader's? Hearing the noise, Ruby turned around, but seeing Weiss okay, she smiled in relief and turned back around and concentrated on her own workout. Weiss tried, rather unsuccessfully, to look anywhere other than Ruby's sinuous body. Going with the red and black theme as always, the oblivious girl was wearing loose black shorts and a red tank top. On the other hand, Weiss's outfit was all white, consisting of white sweatpants and a white t-shirt sporting the Schnee company's logo. Normally, sweat would show up, but thankfully, all of the heiress' clothes were specially made and designed to withstand combat, even casual clothes.

"FOR THE LOVE OF DUST, EARTH TO ICE QUEEN SCHNEE"

Weiss was startled by the loud voice yelling at her, so entranced by her leader's body that she forgot about the other two also in the exercise room. "I'm trying to concentrate here guys. Don't you have anything better to do other than bother me?" blustered Weiss, even as she blushed a deep crimson. Blake and Yang watched as Weiss attempted to cover up her lack of attention with a dismissive tone, but the undertones of desperation in her voice only served to draw attention to her current mental state.

Yang grinned and said, "Calm down Weiss, I was just asking if you could help me with Professor Port's essay later," not even out of breath despite running having just run a mile in six minutes, from what Weiss could see on the blonde's monitor. Blake smiled quietly to herself and continued to focus on her own running on the treadmill diagonal to Weiss, her feet padding softly on the belt's surface.

"Well if that's all you wanted, couldn't it have waited until we were done running?" Weiss sighed, exasperated.

"Awwww lighten up Weiss. It's called communication and it's very important on the battlefield, okay?" Yang taunted.

"Yaaaaaaaaang, stop bothering her, or she's not going to help you. Also, Weiss, help me on my essay too, pleeeeeeease?" Ruby finally jumped into the conversation and turned around, giving her those pleading puppy eyes.

"You two need to stop asking Weiss for help on essays. I know you guys are only good at fighting, but at least try on the essays for Dust's sake," drily commented Blake.

Ruby pouted at her and Yang laughed it off. The two said "okay" in tandem, and both Blake and Weiss were reminded that the two were sisters. The remaining minutes were spent with quiet chatter, laughter, and bad jokes. This level of exercise was nothing to them. They had all been trained since a young age in the basics of combat. Because of this, even while participating in the idle conversations, Weiss thought about Ruby and the way she was just… so Ruby.


	2. Chapter 2

As the team walked back to their dorm, Ruby yelled, "I call dibs on the shower!" and ricocheted off the walls into the room, leaving a trail of rose petals. As she flew off, everything else seemed to be standing still. She giggled at the sight of everybody's surprise but figured she didn't have much time before the rest entered the room. Ruby picked out her clothes and disappeared into the bathroom, milliseconds before the trio were able to get into the dorm.

Ruby peeled off her sweaty clothes, turned on the hot water, and sighed contentedly. She remembered Weiss tripping on the treadmill earlier and wondered if there was something wrong. Ruby noticed that every time she talked to Weiss alone, Weiss's face would turn red and she would stammer out something incoherently. She wasn't sure when this started but maybe next time she would ask Yang about this. Or Blake. Ruby had read some of those secret books Blake kept under her bed, and maybe Blake was a good person to ask about Weiss's condition. She did seem like she would be knowledgeable about that kind of thing. To be fair, Ruby did put all of the books back where they were before.

Ruby had recently spent a lot of time thinking about Weiss. Her partner was beautiful, which everybody acknowledged to some extent, but Ruby thought it was also cute the way Weiss got angry over small things. It was hard not to resist the temptation to smile every time she was being scolded, and so far, she was successful in staving off the urge to call her partner "Weissy". The scar on her eye, her little imperfections, only made her all the more closer to humanity. Without those, she would have been an angel, only to be admired from a safe distance and unattainable.

Ruby's thoughts were pushed aside when Yang pounded on the door (not hard enough to break through although Ruby thought she heard a splintering sound) and yelled at her to hurry up. Ruby sighed and shampooed and conditioned her hair. She finished in a flurry, and after checking to make sure nothing was misplaced, Ruby left the room.

When Weiss entered, she noticed the bathroom was filled with a soft strawberry and rose fragrance. The smell immediately made her think of Ruby. Through the door, she could hear Yang groan, "You guys are going to take forever. I'm getting food first, text me if you want something!" Weiss shook her head and slowly undressed, letting the steamy room's heat permeate her snow-white body. It would have been perfect, save for the scar across her eye. Weiss sighed and stepped into the shower and began to massage her favorite lily shampoo into her straight white hair. After rinsing all of the shampoo out, Weiss let herself stand under the cascade of water for a few more seconds, before abruptly turning the temperature to cold. She enjoyed the shock for a while, then turned off the shower completely. She began to get dressed in yet another signature white outfit and got ready to leave the bathroom.


	3. Chapter 3

After Yang left for food, Blake slid into her bed and picked up a book. Ruby paced around the room. Honestly, it was annoying, but Blake figured that if her leader wanted to talk about something, she would. Her suspicions proved correct because a few minutes after Weiss stepped into the shower and water could be heard, Blake was pounced on by Ruby. The girl speaking faster than the speed of sound until Blake shoved her off. The Faunus glared at her and Ruby righted herself into a sitting position.

Ruby started out very slowly with a cautious "So, Blake, I wanted to ask you about Weiss. She always seems red whenever I talk to her and is sometimes forgets things."

"You mean like forgetting to take notes or blushing every time you talk to her? Avoiding your gaze? Yeah, I kind of noticed that." Blake merely rolled her eyes.

"Do you think she's sick or something?" Ruby was extremely concerned about her partner's health. The last time Weiss was sick, Ruby spent days fussing over her, to the point of taking notes for her. Everybody knew how seriously Weiss regarded studying. At the same time, Ruby was infamous for sleeping in class. And taking notes was something Ruby never did.

Blake blinked in surprise. "I could be wrong, but I think that she's guilty about something. And why did you ask me and not your sister?"

Ruby replied, "Oh, that's because I read some of the books under your bed. You know, the ones with a bunch of blushing and sweating." She was going to continue when she was interrupted by a "WAIT WHAT?" from Blake, which was the loudest thing had come out of her mouth the entire semester.

At just the right time, a clueless Weiss opened the door and stepped out, and sensing a potential escalating, asked, "What's going on?" Blake and Ruby shared a look and chimed "Nothing!" in unison. Unfortunately for the two of them, Yang practically threw herself into the room from nowhere and yelled "Jinx! HA! Now both of you owe me a soda," looking positively prideful, or at least until she realized that they were under a roof.

Blake sighed for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day, and asked Yang, "Did you even get dinner? You were back here pretty fast." Yang laughed it off and casually said, "Oh I got distracted by Jaune and Pyrrha walking down the hallways. I tailed them for a while until they went for food, and poor Pyrrha kept trying to get Jaune's attention and Jaune, the airhead that he is, had no idea what was happening the whole time. Anyways, let's get food together, yeah?" A bunch of heads nodding and some yes's mixed in sealed the deal, despite the fact that neither Blake nor Yang had taken a shower.


	4. Chapter 4

Yang grabbed a tray, leading her team as they stood in line for food. Today's dinner was authentic white cheese pasta with creamy ravioli on the side. Yang could literally taste the sauce, even before she could even see it. Looking behind her, the blonde could see the carnal hunger in their eyes. When they reached the front of the line, Yang flashed a smile at the lady serving food. The serving lady rolled her eyes and grinned, but gave Yang an extra portion. But before the brawler could say anything in thanks, she was nearly knocked over by her mates rushing to get to the food. When they were all ready, Ruby sprinted to an empty table and claimed it, leaving the rest of the team to trudge halfway across the cafeteria. They ate in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Yang and Blake were almost finished when they noticed that Jaune and Pyrrha were wandering out of the cafeteria. Yang grinned at Blake and she motioned at them with her eyebrows. Blake gave a sly smile and nodded slightly.

"Hey, sis? Since me and Blake are done with dinner, we have some stuff to take care of. Don't bother waiting for us. We might take a while," Yang said.

Ruby was unperturbed and simply replied with a bright "Okay!" and turned back to her dinner, unaware of Weiss' sudden blushing.

Yang and Blake threw away the remains of their dinners and ambled off behind Jaune and Pyrrha. Along the way, they started discussing the duo's relationship problems. It was obvious to everybody in the school, except Jaune, that Pyrrha liked him. The Faunus' sharp eyesight spotted them loitering near the dance hall in the shadows. But before they drew close, Yang formed a plan.

"Hey Blake."

"Yeah, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, but I was just thinking that if Mr. Dense isn't going to catch on that the Amazonian likes him, why don't we nudge them in the right direction?"

"Clever, but how would you propose we do that? Set them on a date or something?" asked a very amused Blake.

"Well yeah, why don't we pretend that we are secretly dating and make them come out with us? We could head to the movies or something and then go to a bar. I have an acquaintance at a nearby place," Yang said innocently.

"You just want to drink, don't you?" Blake said accusingly. But in reality, Blake had wanted to spend some time with Yang, almost like a moth to a flame. There was something irresistible about the blondie, and even though she knew she might end up being burned, Blake could only plow forwards.

Yang was hoping that Blake would agree to her outlandish plan. Ever since the fight with Torchwick, Yang had always been worried about Blake and her mental mindset. The time before the dance only made this feeling stronger. She wondered whether it could be something more, but she shook out of it when Blake sighed a quiet "okay, fine, but only because I can't think of anything better". Satisfied, the B and Y of RWBY began to creep towards Pyrrha.

The warrior sensed them before they got too close. "What's up guys?" she questioned, hiding her own discomfort and sadness. Jaune also turned around, although it seemed like he was enjoying the moonlight with his partner. Oddly enough, he seemed at ease standing with the slightly shorter Amazonian by his side.

"Alright we have a little secret to tell you guys, but you have to do us a little favor okay?" Yang spoke barely above a conspiratorial whisper.

"Sure," Jaune replied. "It's not like we were doing anything." Pyrrha nodded.

"We're secretly dating." Blake dropped the bombshell without any prior warning, and Jaune and Pyrrha could only stare at the two of them in shock.

Without giving either of them a chance to say anything, Yang cut in. "We were thinking of going to the movies tonight, but Weiss and Ruby are both busy and we would appreciate the company. Besides, it would be an opportunity to have fun. I feel like you guys need the time off anyways."

Pyrrha, perhaps sensing where this was going, readily agreed, but looked to Jaune for approval. "I guess so. What are we watching?" asked Jaune. "The new Ninjas of Love movie that just came out seems like a good idea."

"Yup, that's exactly what we're watching. Also, you don't have to take the train or anything. I have Bumblebee, and you and Pyrrha could ride the motorcycle I've been saving for Ruby's birthday. It's easier to ride than mine, but still has a good speed," Yang replied.


	5. Chapter 5

Blake sat through the entire film comparing and contrasting the book and the movie. Although movie's plot didn't include as much detail as the book, overall the depictions of the main characters were pretty good, considering the low budget and multiple fiascos and scandals that surrounded its production. Blake and Yang held hands the entire time. Her hand was the only warmth in the air conditioned room, Blake realized. There was lots of good kissing and action in the movie, and the others seemed to enjoy it as well. They hopped on the bikes and Yang led them to a brick building. It seemed to be undergoing renovation, but all lights were on and faint music could be heard from the inside.

Yang walked in first, and as soon as she was seen, all the waiters stopped, the music ended abruptly, and somebody who Blake guessed was the boss emitted a low growl from his throat.

"Now, now Junior, I'm just here for a drink and maybe a dance with some of my buddies." As Yang attempted to pacify Junior, Blake looked around the massive room. There was a gigantic dance floor that was raised above the floor directly before the entrance. The bar was nearby, with rows of drinks lined on shelves along the wall. There was a multitude of lights and hologram machines, and the DJ's were in a room above the dance floor. Yang spent a few minutes trying to convince Junior that they really meant no harm. Finally, they were ushered to a separate corner all to themselves, with several… henchmen… serving them. Yang immediately went for the drinks, despite the fact that she was still underage. She got a beer while both Jaune and Pyrrha opted for low alcohol margarita cocktail blends. Blake broke down against the pressure and ordered, of all things, an ice cream rum sundae.

Even though they weren't saying much, the silence was not uncomfortable. After a half hour's worth of idle chitchat, Blake thought to herself, Maybe we should do this more often. I'm almost having fun here. She quietly inquired, "Are you enjoying yourselves?" Pyrrha and Jaune looked up from their drinks, slightly flushed. They nodded. "Alright then, we have to get back to the dorms now. It's not time yet, but we promised Ruby that we would get back early," Yang said. That last part was a complete lie, but it worked. "One last thing Jaune: kiss her. Also, don't forget to return the bike tomorrow!"

At Yang's words, both Pyrrha turned completely red. She started stammering something but Jaune just looked confused. "Oh for Dust's sake Jaune, Pyrrha likes you, idiot that you are," exploded Blake. The rum in the ice cream made her more talkative than usual while Yang looked unaffected by her beer except for a rowdier attitude than usual. Blake shuddered at the thought of a completely intoxicated Yang. Yang pulled her away, and with a parting "We'regoingnowhavefunbye!" Blake and Yang burst out of the club laughing at the other pair's expressions of horror, confusion, and embarrassment.

Yang gently steered the motorcycle towards a nearby park so they could calm down before heading back to Beacon. As the blonde was driving, Blake leaned into Yang's warmth. Blake's feline instincts took over, and she dozed off into Yang's back.

"Blake? Wake up," Yang said as she gently carried the girl off the bike and set her onto the cool grass in the park. Bumblebee was parked nearby, and they were under a giant oak tree. She looks gorgeous laying there. Since she isn't waking up, maybe I'll mess with her for a bit, thought Yang. "Wake up Sleeping Beauty", crooned Yang, and by some sudden impulse, she leaned down and kissed Blake. Blake's eyes fluttered open at the unfamiliar sensation. She sat up in surprise but accidentally hit Yang's forehead hard enough to knock herself out and she crashed back down onto the grass. "Sorry, I was just messing with you," Yang said ruefully, holding her forehead. She was expecting Blake to swat her away or even yell at her once she woke up.

Blake opened her eyes to see a tired and unsure Yang hovering over her. She remembered what had just happened, and started to berate her. "YANG XIAO LONG DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU JUST DID I AM DISAPPOINTED AND ANGRY AT YOU." Blake sniffed, much as Weiss had done so many times before. Yang started to interject, but the Faunus pushed her down on the grass, whispered "you better take responsibility", and kissed her back deeply and passionately. They could taste the lingering drinks, and both were reluctant to let go. They watched each other turn a bright crimson, visible even in the moonlight. Finally, Yang broke the silence. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," she said.

The ride back to Beacon was a quiet affair. Just before heading into the dorm, Yang felt a slight tug on her sleeve. It was Blake, with a very timid expression. "Does that mean we're dating now?" she asked. Yang only replied with, "Let's keep it a secret for now," and a small wink. Blake felt her spirits lift as they entered the darkened dorm.


	6. Chapter 6

As Blake and Yang left the cafeteria, Ruby became very excited. She was alone with Weiss, and could ask her about her problems. The only thing was, it might be a little hard to get the heiress to actually talk about anything in particular before she mumbled something and sped off. It wouldn't be all that hard to corner her, considering that Ruby did have superspeed for a Semblance, but she respected her teammate's need for privacy.

Ruby sighed as she debated whether she wanted to talk to the girl sitting across from her. In the end, she decided that, once they were alone in the dorm, Ruby would ask Weiss some long-awaited questions. Having made up her mind, the confident leader finished her food without any conversation. After all, the pressure would be left for later.

Weiss and Ruby meandered down the hallways until they got to their dorm. Ruby allowed Weiss to walk in first, then quickly shut and locked the door. Weiss was unaware of anything happening until she saw her leader turn around with a crafty smile on her face. It was borderline insane, and Weiss was completely taken aback by the malicious person that had somehow replaced her normally innocent and airhead of a leader. This feeling only grew when Ruby disappeared amidst rose petals, and in a few milliseconds, Weiss found herself on Ruby's death trap of a bunk, with the owner herself lounging beside her. Weiss would have immediately leapt up from her sitting position, except she was loath to move. After all, the two of them were sitting on a bed suspended from the ceiling and probably pushing the weight limit of the corded nylon ropes. Not that either of them were fat or anything, but the creaking sounds emitted from the flimsy looking ropes terrified Weiss into staying still. There was her own bed underneath, and having it stay intact was preferable to the alternative: sharing beds.

Ruby felt very proud of herself for having thought of this brilliant idea. Not only would Weiss be unable to escape, but she would finally appreciate the genius of having bunk beds. She leaned towards her partner, looked deep into her eyes, and said to her, "Weiss. What. Is. Wrong." As Weiss struggled to answer, the petite brunette stared unflinchingly into the beautiful ice-blue eyes that set the heiress apart as a Schnee. Ruby leaned in even closer, in an attempt to coerce the furiously blushing girl into answering her questions.

Ruby grabbed Weiss's arm because the pale girl kept trying to maintain some sort of distance between them. Ruby was growing impatient and kept on staring at her, unaware of Weiss's thoughts. Weiss, on the other hand, felt like the gaze was tearing her soul apart: she felt dizzy and couldn't focus on anything other than Ruby's bottomless silver eyes. Her arm was caught in a surprisingly strong grip, and no matter how much she struggled, she was unable to break free.

In the end, Weiss couldn't contain her anxiety and she inched farther and farther away from her captain. But right when she reached the end of the bed, the ropes, strained to their limits, snapped without warning. With a resounding crash sure to have been heard throughout the entire dorms, Ruby's bed fell and imploded as it crushed Weiss's bed underneath in the process. Ruby narrowly managed to evade being impaled by a splintered bed post; however, she was immediately smothered by a completely shocked and desperate Schnee. Apparently something other than the beds also broke, because a cloud of multicolored Dust flew into the air and promptly exploded as soon as it touched anything. The brunette waited for the inevitable yelling.


	7. Chapter 7

The few seconds after the noise ended were spent in complete silence, despite Ruby's predictions. Weiss's dress was ruined, and she couldn't help thinking about the first time they met, not exactly unlike the current situation. This time, however, the damage to her clothing was much worse. She was overly aware that she was suffocating Ruby under her… chest. But when she tried to get up, the back of her dress was pretty much on the verge of sliding off. Torn between preserving her remaining shreds of dignity and immediately removing herself from her leader's proximity, Weiss continued to lay atop Ruby until the latter made a slight choking noise.

"Hey Weiss, can you get off now? It's kind of hard to breathe, and besides, your heart is beating kinda quickly."

"Obviously, you dunce, we literally almost died because of your so-called bunk beds. And I can't get off, or my dress is going to fall too. Thanks to you, my impeccable wardrobe is probably ruined."

"Sorry Weiss. But, um, can't you pretty please get off now? We're both girls, you know. I'm sure you could endure me seeing you naked," Ruby giggled.

"That's beside the point," Weiss spluttered. "I just don't feel exactly comfortable around you…"

"Oh right, since you brought it up, will you answer the question I asked earlier? Like, seriously, what is going on? I've been waiting until we were alone to ask you, and since Blake and sis are gone, this is a totally perfect opportunity."

Weiss just sighed. Like anybody can help. Ruby continued pestering her for details. "Look, I happen to have a little crush on somebody okay? It's hard to deal with this stuff and nobody can really help deal with this." Seeing Weiss's helpless look, Ruby shut her mouth. It was clear that Weiss was conflicted over her predicament. "Well, okay. You can shower first; you're covered in Dust and I guess you also need clothes. Don't worry, I'll close my eyes!"

Her partner slowly rose from their awkward position, making sure Ruby's eyes were closed. Her heart was racing so fast, it was a miracle that she didn't go into cardiac arrest. She gathered her sleepwear from the charred closet and walked over to the bathroom. Weiss didn't notice the slight dampness seeping out from underneath the door. As soon as she opened the door and stepped in, she slipped on the thin film of water coating the bathroom floor. With a high pitched scream, her body veered itself toward the bowl of the ceramic sink. Weiss's last thought before her mind went blank was that she was sure to have a concussion by the time this was over.

Ruby, having already opened her eyes the second Weiss's back was turned, immediately grasped the situation, and using her Semblance, flew towards Weiss at supersonic speeds. Ruby was able to catch her before her forehead made contact with the pristine white sink. Consequently, unable to save herself from the slippery floor, Ruby fell hard on her back in Weiss's place and her leg made contact with a glass vase filled with roses. In a completely ironic turn of events, Weiss fell on top of her again, but this time, her head was not careening towards anything extremely hard. Her lips brushed against something soft. She tried pulled away, her eyes still closed, but a grip held her close. Weiss opened her eyes to see Ruby's face directly beneath her own. Ruby's eyes were dazed and cloudy, and blood poured from a red gash on her leg. It looked painfully deep, but Ruby sat up, ignoring the pain. When she finally allowed the other girl to lean back, it was because both of them were out of breath. Ruby's eyes sharpened, and focused on Weiss. When she realized what they had done, she blushed, both girls' faces turning almost the same color as Ruby's clothing.

"Sorry Weiss," she muttered. "I didn't know what I was doing."

"You dunce. Don't you know how hard my heart is going right now?" Weiss took Ruby's hand and held it up to her heart. It was beating so fast Weiss felt nauseous from the blood rush.

"Wait what? Aren't you supposed to be scolding me right now?"

"You idiot. Maybe I should help clear things up a little. A more complete answer to the previous question is that the person I like is you."

"Oh." Ruby hung her head ashamedly, unable to express her own stupidity for not noticing the way Weiss had been acting. She grinned, unabashedly happy.

"Why are you smiling?" Weiss demanded.

"Because you feel exactly the same way I do."

Before Weiss could comprehend the meaning of Ruby's words, the younger girl went for another kiss, this time long and passionate. Their clothes were soaked from sitting on the wet floor for so long, but neither of them cared. The pair drew away awkwardly, avoiding each other's gazes. Weiss muttered something like "gotta check on my clothes" and dashed out the door, leaving Ruby to sit helplessly on the wet floor, too far away from the cabinet that held the bandages. Apparently the Dust had shaken everything to the point where even items in nearby rooms were affected. Weiss cursed Yang and her practical jokes. Yang had pranked all of Team CRDL and most of Team JNPR. Jaune had walked into the cafeteria soaking wet many times, and only Pyrrha was able to escape the cascade of water. Yang herself admitted to be the perpetrator of the pranks. This was probably meant for someone else's drenching, because why else would there be a random bucket full of water on the floor of the restroom?

Weiss pulled a few clothes out of the closet and got dressed, then sat down on Blake's still intact, albeit dusty, bed. By the time she got her emotions in order, Weiss heard some shuffling noises coming from behind the bathroom door. _Oh Dust, I completely forgot about Ruby's injury_ , she thought, and grabbed the emergency medical kit from its shrine on a shelf with some of Blake's books. She rushed over to the bathroom as quickly as possible without stepping on any debris. Weiss could see Ruby trying to get up, but the slippery floor, paired with her injury, meant that even lifting the leg was a complicated task. Because she wasn't in battle, Ruby's Aura did not activate and heal her wound. Not that it would have helped; injuries returned afterwards anyways.

Seeing Weiss with the med kit, Ruby obediently sat back down and allowed the wound to be carefully bandaged. Normally, Ruby would tend to her injuries on her own, but she thought being spoiled once in a while was also good. She didn't like it when Yang helped her patch up: Yang would constantly be fussing over every little detail, making sure her little sis was all right. She would be so overwhelming with her bear hugs that they would cause more injuries than were previously there. Ruby hissed in pain as Weiss dabbed at the cut with alcohol, but it quickly subsided as Weiss's nimble fingers started to wrap the gauze tightly around the brunette's leg.

Weiss finished tying up the last bandage and sat back on her heels. Ruby found that she was able to stand up without much trouble, and smiling, she gave Weiss a hug. It wasn't bone-crushing like Yang's infamous ones, but it still left the pale girl breathless.

"Let go of me already, you dunce. How long are you going to stay like this? We need to do something about the beds. Yang and Blake are going to have a fit when they come back."

Ruby started to protest but quickly realized that Weiss was right. She picked up the overturned bucket and set it in the corner. The glass was swept into the trash can, and Weiss used some Dust to evaporate the leftover fluid and the pair stepped out of the small bathroom, discussing the best way to clean the remaining mess.

"Why don't we just call a janitor to deal with this in the morning? In the meantime, we should push all the stuff to one side of the room and use the other two beds tonight," suggested Ruby.

"Is that actually a good idea coming from our illustrious leader Ruby Rose?" asked Weiss in mock surprise.

"Aww Weissy did you just put on your princess mode? Let's just get to work," replied Ruby, and began to clean the room very rapidly. Ironically, she had slowed down noticeably. Normally Weiss would be unable to follow Ruby with her eyes, despite her top-notch reflexes. Today, Ruby just looked like a film going in fast motion, accounting for her new injury. It would probably heal as she was sleeping, but for now Ruby didn't want to reopen the slightly crusting cut.

By eleven, the mattresses were leaning against the wall, the wood was gathered into neat piles, and Yang and Blake's beds had been removed from their bunk bed orientation and set carefully on the floor. Ruby put the books/dividers, which had been previously been functioning as a platform for Yang's bed, on Blake's desk. They salvaged whatever pillows and blankets they could but left the singed ones alone. Weiss insisted on not having get charcoal flakes in her hair as she was sleeping, and Ruby was too tired to argue. They left a note on Yang's messy desk explaining the chaos and began to get ready for bed. At midnight, everything was in order and the two climbed into Yang's bed.

It was a little uncomfortable at first, sleeping on a bed clearly made for one person. Weiss and Ruby were squeezed together to avoid either one of them falling off the bed. In the end, they snuggled in very close, with Weiss staring straight into the silver eyes only centimeters away. The smell of Ruby's strawberry and roses combination made Weiss feel at ease. For some reason, Weiss was unable to resist reaching over to touch Ruby's hair. It was softer than it looked, and its texture seemed to invite endless stroking. Ruby duplicated the motion, and they fell asleep with each others hair in their fingers.


	8. Chapter 8

Yang and Blake strolled into the dorm and turned on the lights. They were greeted by a scene of orderly chaos. Ruby and Weiss were sleeping on a bed (!) and apparently two of the bunk beds had been destroyed. Yang spotted the bright yellow note on her desk and began to read out loud.

"sry for the mess Yang I kinda broke me and Weiss's beds. using ur bed rn and all Blake's books are on her desk. hope u didnt drink too much. wake me up when u get bakc. love u, Ruby," scrawled Ruby in her distinctive handwriting. It was messier than usual but still legible. Yang sighed and walked over to Ruby, who was way too close to Weiss for her liking. Yang, in a low voice, whispered "cooookieeeesss" in Ruby's ear. Her sister abruptly woke up and looked around for the cookies, and was immediately disappointed when she realized that there were none to be had. Yang had to laugh at Ruby's dejected puppy face. "I'll get you cookies tomorrow," promised Yang. Nobody in the family could resist Ruby's puppy face, and they had long since given up trying.

"Ruby, what's going on? Why is there such a huge mess?" Blake asked. Ruby noticed that both she and Yang were slightly red and smelled like booze, and it was past two in the morning.

"Before any of that, you guys smell. You were drinking, weren't you?" calmly asked Ruby.

"Maybe?" replied Yang somewhat nervously. At Ruby's accusing glare she gave up and said "Okay, okay. Just a little. I'm not totally wasted, right?"

"What were you doing out there? It's really late." At her words, both Blake and Yang blushed. Ruby and her perceptive eyes caught their actions and she immediately rose and went to the for further questioning. "What's really going on here?" Ruby's voice became higher in pitch and softer, even as her eyebrows twitched, emphasizing the importance of the questions.

Yang's answer tumbled out before she had any chance to process what she was saying. "Well me and Blake decided to tail Pyrrha and Jaune and then we forced them into going out for a drink with us. Then we dropped the fact that Pyrrha likes Jaune on him (you should've seen their faces!) and then we ditched them and ended up in a park. Something happened and me and Blake kissed and now we're dating?" all came in a rush. If not for Ruby's Semblance, it would have taken a while for her to comprehend what her elder sis just said.

"Excuse me for a sec, guys," said Ruby. She mechanically walked over to the nearest wall and banged her head on it. Weiss woke up and was immediately blinded by the light flooding her dilated pupils. When her eyes adjusted, the first thing she saw was Ruby pounding her head on the wall.

"Ummmm Ruby? What are you doing?" asked a baffled Yang.

"This is a dream, right? This isn't happening? THE Yang, my older sister, finally found somebody to date? The notorious bone breaker and boxer? No way," muttered Ruby. Ever since they were children, Yang had been hit on multiple times. But none of her prospective suitors ever stayed for long. It was always either her personality, her strength, or both. Ruby had to admit that she could have foreseen this development, but it was still rather shocking.

Exasperated, Blake walked up to her and punched her in the back lightly. "No Ruby, you aren't dreaming. And if you may be so kind to answer my earlier question, why are you in bed with Weiss?"

Ruby snapped back to reality. "Oh yeah, about that. We're dating too?"

"Not yet, you idiot! I didn't say anything about that," shrieked Weiss, startling everybody else in the room. Nobody realized that she had awoken until she spoke. Like Yang, she was unable to resist Ruby's perfected puppy eyes and she sighed. "Okay", she grudgingly admitted, "I guess we are a thing."

A few seconds later, she noticed something odd about Ruby's earlier words after her brain caught up and finished processing the events that just happened. "Wait, what do you mean by 'We're dating too'?" She highly emphasized the "too" because Ruby seemed strangely happy when she said that.

"Oh were you still asleep? Blake and Yang started dating yesterday," Ruby dropped casually. She had already come to terms with her sister's relationship within the short span of time, and in fact approved. She thought that Blake might be able to get Yang to chill during some of her wilder moments, and Blake herself might come out of her shell. She was just as okay with it as she was with her own rapidly developing relationship with Weiss, if that was any comparison.

Everybody just stared at each other for a few uncomfortable moments. Yang was expecting some vehement objections, but nothing happened. Weiss, who was still sitting on Yang's bed, finally broke the awkward silence.

"We can deal with this in the morning. Blake, Yang, hurry up and get ready for bed unless you want to sleep in those clothes. I'm going back to sleep," said Weiss casually as she yawned. Ruby couldn't help noticing how cute Weiss looked and giggled to herself. She approached the bed and climbed in at a leisurely pace, letting in some cool air under the stuffy covers. Her leg didn't hurt so much anymore, and she felt comfortable enough to hug the heiress, who had already fallen asleep. By the time Yang was able to stop staring at them, Blake had already gathered her sleepwear and was in front of bathroom door.

"Dang it Blake, I wanted the bathroom first," said Yang while pouting. Blake just raised her eyebrow, turning away to hide her smile. Her amber eyes twinkled slightly in the dimmed lights as she stepped into the bathroom, and Yang couldn't help saying, "I love it when you're feisty" to the already closed door. There was no response, so she contented herself with watching the sleeping duo nearby. It was strange watching her younger sister and the normally icy Schnee sleep together. Weiss and Yang were polar opposites but she thought it was nice to finally have something to bond over. Yang turned away from them and rummaged through the charred closet to find her clothes so she could shower and cuddle with Blake afterwards.


	9. Chapter 9

The first thing Weiss saw when she opened her eyes was Ruby's sleeping face. Her black and red hair framed her face naturally unlike Weiss, who usually felt like a zombie when she arose. She checked her scroll's glass display. It read 11:00am, the only black against a completely white background. Trying to ignore her brain's screaming for coffee, Weiss stepped into the restroom and began getting ready for the day. If she remembered correctly, the team was scheduled to go out to town with JNPR to catch a movie at noon. Wait, noon? Weiss frantically rushed back out at located the seldom used air horn. She muffled the end with a pillow and pressed the button. A tiny sound was emitted, but nothing happened. This time, with a determined look, she unleashed the full potential of the air horn, unfettered by the pillow.

A loud blast filled the room, and slowly faded away. When Weiss was finally able to concentrate on something other than the dizzying effects accompanying such hazardous usage, Blake and Ruby were bolt upright and staring at her. Only Yang remained … unconscious of anything. A barrage of outbursts followed.

"Weiss, you know it's Saturday, right?"

"Yeah, yeah! It's almost as bad as throwing away cookies!"

"Enough," cut in Weiss. She was hoping to staunch the flow before the dam really burst. "We have to be ready in an hour. There's that movie we were supposed to watch, remember? With JNPR? 'Hunting Prey' or something, right?"

Looks of understanding blossomed on their faces. Weiss sighed and walked back into the restroom. She shut the door quickly, as she didn't want to be there when Yang woke up.

Blake and Ruby, who were left to deal with Yang, tried various methods to wake her up. Their efforts bore no fruits for about ten minutes. Yang would either turn over and mumble "Five more minutes…" or swat at the offending object that demanded her attention. Then, Ruby remembered something Taiyang used to do and a crafty smile formed. Blake noticed, and immediately moved out of the way and crouched behind the bed on the opposite side of the room. Whatever it was, she decided that it wasn't good.

Ruby rummaged around and managed to procure a wickedly sharp pair of scissors from a desk drawer. She positioned herself near Yang's sleeping form and snapped them close once. Her sister shot out of bed, looking around wildly for the scissors. Ember Celica was cocked and ready to fire, and her hair was messier than usual. She moaned when Ruby smiled apologetically and reminded her about the scheduled events.

"Mgrhrhhghr," was the only sound that came out of Yang's mouth. Her eyes, which had been red the second she awoke, slowly faded back to its usual lavender colour as her mind took in her surroundings. Weiss stepped out of the restroom looking remarkably decent considering the minuscule amount of time spent getting ready. She eyed Yang with an air of caution, then decided that the threat had passed. Ruby didn't miss the opportunity and locked herself in the restroom before anybody could bat an eye.

Fourty-five minutes later, the team stepped off the airship in Vale.


	10. Chapter 10

The crew arrived at the pre-planned meeting spot, but Team JNPR was nowhere to be found. A message from Ren pinged on Ruby's phone right on cue, and she read the message aloud. "Pyrrha and Jaune don't want to get up. Nora = hyperactive as usual. Sorry can't make it." Their fellow hunter had included several pictures of the team, most notably one of Nora posing with her weapon while standing on a table, with Pyrrha and Jaune curled on a bed in the background.

Weiss was not surprised, given the events the night before. Yang and Blake, who had watched Ninjas of Love, didn't feel like venturing back into the theatre so soon. As a result, the team split up into their respective pairs and promised to meet back at around five.

Ruby pulled Weiss into a small café selling baked goods and coffee. They settled into the usual monotone routine of buying their usual: Weiss, who liked to avoid the crowding associated with her name and face, went to claim a table in a relatively empty corner of the establishment and Ruby stood in line to order despite her social awkwardness. The large scythe probably contributed to the stares, but she managed to ignore the mutterings behind her. After scanning the menu, Ruby ordered a hot chocolate and cookies, while her new girlfriend (it made her giddy to think that) had asked for an espresso and a more dainty croissant.

After a few hesitant exchanges, Ruby slid into the seat opposite Weiss with their orders, managing not to spill or lose anything on the way. The other girl was focused on her scroll, probably scanning through financial news and other company related matters, as usual. Noticing that her food arrived, the heiress picked up her croissant and started nibbling at the crust, enjoying the aromatic scents of her freshly baked breakfast.

Without warning, the glass exterior of the café imploded as a jet black jeep with tinted windows crashed into the building. Ruby flipped over the table, breakfast and all, and positioned herself and Weiss safely with their backs to the wall, taking into account her supersonic speed not to injure her partner or damage either of their respective weapons. As she returned to normal time, Weiss nodded her appreciation and turned to the door, just as the White Fang filed in with their guns. The leader, a familiar chainsaw wielding giant of a man, randomly shot at the ceiling until the screaming died down and he had the entire café's attention.

Ruby pulled out her scroll and asked for authorization to engage the enemy through Beacon's specialized battle application software. They were given the okay a few seconds later and prepared the preemptive strike. Ruby went first, assessing the situation and quickly disabled the guards holding hostages.

"Weiss, go!" she yelled, even as the men began to rush the crimson-clad huntress-in-training.

Weiss acknowledged her leader's signal, and isolated columns of ice sprung up, avoiding the regular citizens and trapping the soldiers. But as they lost the element of surprise, the two quickly became surrounded. They were indoctrinated to leave their human enemies alive, but the White Fang held no such scruples. They rushed from all sides, uncaring as their comrades fell. The situation grew precarious as Ruby and Weiss so no way out.


	11. Chapter 11

Ruby looked towards the ceiling and saw a fixture dangling above. The gears in her brain cranked at full speed as she formulated their ticket out of their predicament.

"Weiss, platform," she commanded. An icy column formed beneath their feet just in time for them to evade the weapons of the men below them. If not for the current circumstances, it would have been funny. As it was, Ruby struggled not to roll her eyes. She had been told off one too many times for getting distracted in battle. Even though that was what partners were for.

Weiss caught on quickly to Ruby's plan. With her Dust, she expanded her platform to overtake all view of the ceiling while only supporting the entire mass with a few pillars. She and Ruby moved to opposite sides of the block of ice and Weiss trapped the minions gathered at the bases in the hollowed cylinder of ice. With a quick twirl of the scythe, the overhead lights came crashing down. It was especially effective after Weiss sent down bolts of energy to ignite the delicate electronic parts.

Ruby shot rounds at the attackers' legs and arms to temporarily incapacitate them, and Weiss covered the gaping hole to create an air-tight container. Ruby left instructions to reinforce the walls, jumped down to the base of the ice block to inspect the damage, and notified both the Vale Police and Beacon to inform them of their success in apprehending the criminals. The White Fang all passed out within minutes, rendering them helpless until the authorities arrived. Weiss opened a few small vents that ensured they wouldn't die of asphyxiation, and leapt to the base to join Ruby in examining the damage.

To her dismay, their breakfasts were ruined: coffee and hot chocolate were spilled on the ground in an intermingling of shades of brown. Her prized croissant was smashed to an unrecognizable lump, and Ruby's cookies were mere crumbs. Although, Weiss considered herself fortunate that Ruby had not forgotten about her scroll and tucked it safely into a packet at some indeterminate point in time.

The police pulled up in a rush of sirens and loud footsteps. Weiss could see why her father considered the force an ineffective means of keeping the peace. They were fat old men who moved slowly, were rather loud, and above all, carried no special gear besides their radios and communication devices. Even regular citizens would make better defenders if given a knife or a gun.

Ruby, on the other side of the room, was making sure none of the hostages were injured. A few suffered minor grazes, nothing gauze and bandages wouldn't fix. She then sidled up to the cashier, who was still behind the now pock marked counter. They held a whispered conversation, and Ruby was reluctantly given a heavy paper brown bag.

After directing the police force to Beacon for any questions or inquiries, Ruby and Weiss strolled out of the now decrepit-looking café hand in hand. Weiss was curious about the bag but didn't press the issue. She was more interested in where Ruby was leading her, or more accurately, insistently pulling her. It felt like the prior battle didn't result in any fatigue on Ruby's part (nor Weiss, for that matter), and while it did show that they were in top physical condition, Weiss almost wished that the lack of exhaustion didn't manifest as Ruby's infamous hyperactive tendencies. Almost. She hated to admit it, but it was also sometimes endearing.

Ruby stopped on a small hill on the outskirts of town overlooking the entire city. It was almost two, but the sprawling oak tree on the crown of the hill provided ample shade. Hanging on one of the thick branches was a swing, tied high enough that Weiss' feet were comfortably on the ground. Ruby set down the bag and started to push the other girl gently. There was nobody else there, and the breeze drifted by lazily. She began to speak.


	12. Chapter 12

"The first time we spoke, I had exploded in front of the school. There was smoke everywhere and I'm pretty sure Professor Goodwitch hasn't filled in the slight pothole we left behind," Ruby giggled.

"You left it behind, not me. I was minding my own business and you literally exploded into my life," Weiss corrected indignantly. Her voice softened," Although it's true I was being," she paused,"difficult, you can't exactly blame me for getting mad about wasting perfectly good Dust."

Ruby continued pushing Weiss gently on the swing. Even as the sunlight filtered down through the leaves, the cool wind allowed them to experience a peace unfamiliar to Hunters and Huntresses. Weiss noticed the unusual silence Ruby was exhibiting, starkly contrasting with the earlier hyperactivity.

"Ruby, what's wrong?" she asked. The quiet was slightly disconcerting. Nonetheless, she knew that Ruby was thinking about something in a manner very unlike her normal demeanor.

"I was … thinking about today. Having a girlfriend is the best thing that happened to me, but I can't… what if … what if we lose each other hunting Grimm or fighting off the White Fang? I'm scared, Weiss." Ruby shuddered even though the air was warm and dry.

Weiss stopped and slowly spun herself around to face her leader. From her furious expression, Ruby could tell she just said something very, very wrong. She backed up to the tree to try and avoid Weiss' wrath, only to end up being pinned against a tree.

"Never." A poke to the ribs. "Say." A tickle to the stomach. "That." A light touch on the arm. "Again." Weiss finished with a brush of her lips against Ruby's cheek. She pulled them towards the ground, sitting on the previously discarded jackets. Then she pointed to Vale's skyscrapers. "See those?" she asked.

Ruby nodded. "When I was younger, my father used to bring me and Winter to one of those buildings where we had to sit through countless business meetings and political endeavors. To me, those buildings represented Father's wishes and his ideal future for me. Then I became a Huntress. Those same buildings, although still rather distasteful, came to symbolize humanity's struggle against the Grimm."

"I get that, but what are you trying to tell me? Hearing about Grimm and humanity's struggle isn't really making me feel better about us," Ruby interrupted.

Weiss sighed. "I haven't finished, you dolt. What I was _going_ to say was, we haven't finished protecting the people. I can't leave them. I can't leave the team, but most importantly I can't leave _you_. Sure, danger might be in the job description, but it doesn't mean I get to just quit. Same goes for you, Ruby," Weiss declared passionately. Her blue eyes flashed like the pure ice in a frozen lake. "You can't go off and die on me. Do that, and I won't forgive you."

Despite her harsh tone of voice, Weiss' facial expression was a combination of anger, worry, and … love? Ruby had only seen this look from Yang, Qrow, and … Summer. Her mind flashed to multiple different periods in her life: the first time they made cookies together, the first day of school, their countless holidays and special occasions, all with Summer wearing the same smile. It was painful to remember her mother's expressions, and she couldn't help the tears streaming down her face. She buried her face in Weiss' neck and began to cry in earnest.

Weiss was completely lost, to say the least. She never had to console anybody, having to cry alone in her room for years before attending Beacon. In the end, she just emulated what Yang would do, and embraced her partner as cautiously as possible and awkwardly patting her back.

That said, it seemed to work. Ruby's sobs died down with her eyes as red as her cloak. The exhaustion from lack of food, the fighting, and now this emotional breakdown piled on her at once, and she slumped onto Weiss' lap as sleep took her to a strange place deep in her past.


	13. Chapter 13

Ruby was standing in the doorway of a small cabin. It was night time, and apparently she was in a forest. There were no sounds, despite being in a forest at nighttime. One would have at least expected crickets. _It's kind of like being in a soundless movie_ , she thought idly.

The huntress in training stepped onto a well-worn path. Something about this forest screamed familiarity to her. There was a salty smell all around her, different from that of an ocean breeze. She followed her nose, despite her instincts telling her otherwise. Eventually, Ruby arrived at a clearing on the side of the trail.

At first, she was too busy trying to get through the dense grass and bushes to notice what was actually in the clearing. There were piled Grimm bodies scattered all over the brush. They must have been killed quickly; only a few were dissolving. As she advanced towards the center of the expanse, they began to vanish in a dizzying, kaleidoscope effect, creating a torrent of black floating upwards. she saw a human amongst the corpses. Ruby began to feel a nauseous sensation in her stomach. She knew that getting closer was not a good idea, yet her feet dragged themselves forward against her will.

There before her was a person almost identical to the face Ruby saw in the mirror every day. The only differences were the white cloak, her broadsword, and her clothes. "Mom," Ruby breathed. There were multiple large lacerations on the vital organs. Blood, redder than anything Crimson Rose ever touched, seeped into the ground. The forest felt darker and more oppressive. All the Grimm had disappeared, leaving only the younger Rose to stare into the anguished silver orbs that so closely resembled her own and wonder why her mother deserved this fate.

Strangely, even though Ruby had experienced this dream before and inevitable woke up screaming bloody murder, this time, she didn't feel the usual grief and utter helplessness. If anything, she only felt acceptance and strangely enough, peace. Looking up at the remnants of the moon, she didn't feel as shattered as she did before.

"Ruby. Ruby!" A soft, but insistent voice echoed through the trees. Taking her leave with a "goodbye Mom," Ruby ran on the path until the trees blurred into black and she could feel someone shaking her by the shoulder.

* * *

 **A/N: Hello, my dear readers! This is my first author's note, as well as the first story I've ever written. Check out my profile for my personal info, but let's just say I'm a relatively new writer. Sorry for the short chapters, and how the plot seems to go from fluff to angst in the span of two sentences. These are actually my test runs haha (aka I need a beta reader). Please point out any areas I can improve in or just review if you have suggestions in general. I give cyber hugs :3**

 **\- Ferr**


	14. Chapter 14

Weiss appreciated that her partner and girlfriend was able to open up to her. It was a little saddening that she carried all sorts of doubts behind her ever cheerful face, but it made Weiss feel important. But as much as she appreciated the feeling of dependence, her legs were falling asleep and she was hungry, having only eaten a portion of her diminutive breakfast before utilizing a portion of her dust.

She caressed Ruby's cheek, admiring how beautiful she looked in the afternoon light. The red-streaked hair fell perfectly across the younger girl's forehead. Weiss considered herself a mess when she woke up: her own platinum locks would usually find a way to obscure her vision by the time she woke up. Not to mention she often looked like a zombie from the late hours of studying and her lack of coffee.

With a sigh, she started to shake the reaper awake. "Ruby. Ruby!" It was a gamble whether the dolt would actually wake up or not. Yang and Ruby were half-sisters, but that didn't mean that certain traits didn't run in the family. Such as heavy sleeping. Which is why the team was late half the time.

Thankfully, Ruby came to before Weiss' legs completely lost feeling. Right on cue, her stomach emitted a small growl. Ruby looked at her in disbelief: the heiress never let on that she was ever lacking in anything. Weiss merely scowled at her, choosing instead to try and stand, only to find that she was unable to even move her legs.

Luckily, Ruby had come prepared. She reached for the brown paper bag that had remained neglected for the past hour and presented its contents to her girlfriend. "Weiss I saved us some food! Especially those ones you wanted for breakfast today." She smiled hesitatingly, unsure how the heiress would react to the now cold and slightly squished croissants. What Ruby didn't expect, however, was for Weiss to embrace her tightly.

"Ummm Weiss? I know it's weird for me to say this, but I'm supposed to be the emotional one in this relationship, aren't I?" She thought about what she just said and hastily added,"No offense."

Weiss laughed at Ruby's cluelessness. "Why are you so adorkable? It might seem strange to you, but nobody ever gave me something without expecting anything back. It's part of the reason why I've always had a problem with admitting I need help. Even Father only gave me Myrtenaster because he wanted me to continue proving that Schnees can defend themselves."

Ruby shook her head sadly as Weiss took a croissant and started thoughtfully chewing, reflecting on how Beacon changed the way she viewed life. "I can't imagine what it would be like to live your life. Mom and Dad were always happy to play with me or talk when something was wrong. And you know how Yang is when it comes to my safety." She grimaced. "Bear hugs and bad puns aside, we were always a tight family. It sounds like your dad basically thought of you like some puppet."

Weiss swallowed her food and finally stood up. "That's true, in some sense. Although Father wouldn't spend so much time and money on any old puppet. I can't say whether we were actually a family. I'm only close with Winter from our mutual isolation, but she's usually doing jobs for the Atlas military now, so she's never around anymore. I guess I didn't know the meaning of family until I joined RWBY."

"Aw, Weiss! That's so sweet of you. C'mere," Ruby practically leapt on her girlfriend, sending them tumbling to the ground again.

" Get off you dunce! You're going to ruin my clothes," Weiss exclaimed in a faux princess voice, leaving them both giggling at how convincing the act was. "Should we get some real food, or do you just want to walk around until we meet up with Blake and Yang?"

Ruby considered the question carefully. "Why don't we ask them to join us later at the restaurant Ren works at? It's pretty quiet around that time from what I've heard, but the food is really good."

"Alright then. I'll just eat these tasty croissants if you don't want them. Oh look, there's a cookie."

"Wait Weiss, no! I want the cookie!" Weiss popped the cookie in her mouth anyways, pretending she didn't hear her. "Nooooooo Weeeiiissssss," Ruby whined for comedic effect. Laughing, the two turned back towards the city with their weapons hand in hand.

 **A/N: Hello again readers! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. It seems like I've been posting pretty regularly so far. Things might change, depending on whether I feeling like putting in the extra hour or so into writing and editing. I usually write and post the same day (and you can tell my how messy and random the plot line is) but having no backups means if I don't have time, I won't post. As usual, please review for cyber hugs and my eternal gratitude :)**

 **\- Ferr**


	15. Chapter 15

For the second time in less than twenty-four hours, Blake and Yang stepped into a dark bar. Named "The Crow Bar," the place was a frequent haunt of Qrow's. Yang loved it because of its puntastic name, but Blake was more interested in the ocean view. They both refused to drink today; they were still recovering from their hangovers from their chaotic confession night. Instead, the two ordered lunch (Yang put it on Qrow's tab) and enjoyed the scenery.

The saltiness of the air initially put Blake on edge thanks to her Faunus abilities, but she quickly adjusted to the sounds and smells. The wharves nearby were both a source of irritation and heaven, so she settled on a classic tuna sandwich that sated her ocean induced craving for fish. Even though she hated any and all insults at her heritage, Blake couldn't help but drink milk and eat tuna. It was just as much a part of her as her cat ears.

On the other hand, Yang ordered a high-calorie yet healthy meal. The combination of intense physical workouts and her Semblance meant she could literally burn through her food like there was no tomorrow. She carried her protein shake and steak burger to the best spot on the balcony.

They sat opposite of one another in a little corner that jutted out into open space. Part of the building hung off a cliff, and as the tide came in, sometimes the ocean spray would lend its flavor to the customers' food. Blake could see the CCT Tower if she tried hard enough, and there were boats of all kinds bobbing in the waves. She couldn't resist imagining the heaps and heaps of fish that must be hidden in the docks and wharves.

As they enjoyed their meal, they started talking about Ruby and Weiss' relationship. Yang would naturally worry about her younger sister. Ever since their mother died, it fell to her to look after every aspect of Ruby's safety and happiness for years. Blake also came to see Ruby as her younger sister, albeit not to the overprotective extent her partner did. She was arguably more emotionally invested in Weiss' emotional development, as a result of Blake's incident. She wanted to see how the heiress would change, and if Ruby would play a role in those changes.

"I hope Weiss isn't giving Rubes a hard time. It's noon already, so she should have had her coffee by now," commented Yang.

"That was a low blow," laughed Blake. "Besides, Weiss isn't a frosty icicle anymore. Not since the first few months of Beacon."

"You mean Weissicle?" asked Yang, waggling her eyebrows.

"I might have walked into that one," Blake admitted. "It wouldn't be a proper conversation without your puns."

"Aw, I'm growing on you! But yeah, I guess Weiss has stopped being so snobby. But she still yells at Rubes about the weirdest things. Remember that one time they were arguing about what kind of tea was the best? Come to think of it, your bow was twitching all through the whole thing."

Blake's bow twitched again as she recalled the event. "Yes, Weiss was saying how Earl Grey was better while Ruby thought green tea was as classic as tea went. Obviously, chamomile is the best, as any _true_ tea aficionado knows. But I guess it was funny to see them squabble as usual. It wouldn't be a normal week if Weiss didn't lecture Ruby even once."

The conversation hit a lull as Yang agreed with the statement. They finished their food (that tuna was better than Blake had expected!) and started to consider their next destination. Blake wanted to pick up more books, but the dorm room's bookcases were completely crammed with volumes of literature. There so many that Weiss had once threatened to freeze them all if she tripped on another book at night. Yang suggested going to a specialized weapons store, but was quickly shot down because of Beacon's stores. And because the last time they went as a team, both bought so many different things that the price was enough to make _Weiss_ ' jaw drop.

In the end, they decided to go shopping for clothes. Blake set a price limit of two hundred lien each, just in case. They returned their trays and stepped back outside onto the bustling sidewalk.

 **A/N: Hello readers! Ferr back again with another chapter. Things aren't getting any longer, but the chapters are still in some random limbo. And so, I want to ask if you want a more romance focused story (eg. some kind of problem bring the respective pairs closer) or if you want something adventure-based with romance on the side. As usual, review! I'm still giving cyber hugs :)  
**

 **-Ferr**


	16. Chapter 16

"Isn't it Ruby's birthday soon?" asked Blake. Some distant memory was tugging at her attention as they weaved through the crowds to the local Schnee Mall. People from all walks of life gathered at this one-stop shop for food, clothing, and literally anything else the SDC conglomerate produced under its prestigious name. Even Faunus could be seen wandering the complex, despite the company's … shady business practices.

"Aw, you remembered!" beamed Yang.

Blake figured out why she remembered in the first place. "It's because you kept nagging me about it for the past week. If I didn't know any better, Ruby could have been some exalted goddess or something from the way you kept going on," she muttered.

"Oh did I? Rubes only celebrated her birthday with me since Mom died. She took it harder than I did, especially because Mom used to bake these amazing cakes and our parents would give her something cool every year." Yang seemed to lose the spring in her step. "I guess I was just so excited that we could celebrate with the team this year, but I don't know if you and Weiss want to stick around. It's next week, on the day we have the Dust Manipulation and History of Remnant tests. I know grades are important to you guys and I don't want our partying to get in the way."

"What? Yang, no. We're celebrating our leader's birthday. Even if we fail these tests, Weiss and I probably won't be affected that much. You guys will just, as Princess likes to say, "skate on by" as usual. Besides, it'll be good team bonding," offered Blake. Suddenly something clicked. "Wait, that's why you suggested shopping, isn't it?"

Yang just grinned guiltily. "I guess the cat's out of the bag!" and winked. Blake merely groaned. Soon enough, they were staring up at the shiny metal exterior of the Schnee Mall. Blake couldn't help but think about the billions of Lien that had been invested into this building alone, from its monthly bills (which must be astronomical from the lighting itself) to the initial construction. Its glittering facade was an engineering marvel consisting of curves and angles, combined to create a peculiar yet structurally sound building. Although, it did kind of look like it belonged in a modern art museum.

They walked in and were immediately confronted with a giant map depicting five floors of the complete mall experience. In addition to the usual food and dining, the clothing stores, and the novelty shops, there was even an ice skating rink and an arcade nestled within the hallways of the premises.

Yang was immediately fired up by the thought of an ice skating rink. She thought it was the perfect place to test out her Semblance and test her speed against her partner's. Both had skated before in their childhood, but the blonde wanted to make theirs the ultimate challenge: it would be purely physical, without the use of aura or Semblance, and they both had to make five rounds around the rink without hurting anybody, on Blake's insistence. She had long given up trying to persuade her partner otherwise. Whoever finished first won, and the loser had to pay for dinner for the two.

The pair bought their passes and got their skates. Yang obviously chose to wear hockey skates, but Blake opted for the more versatile and nimble figure skates. Their blades, although of a different nature, were razor sharp, which was perfect for the little competition they were about to have. After tying their footwear to the preferred tightness, the duo stepped onto the ice and stood against the wall.

Immediately, Blake flashed back to a time in her childhood, a time when she wasn't a part of the White Fang. She was standing on a frozen lake, clutching onto her mother's dress. A female voice cooed her reassurances and her mother led her in circles and figure-eights on the crystalline solid. Eventually, Blake became brave enough to venture out on her own. Soon she was skating faster than she could run and the whoosh of the sharp air against her hair and her ears was the most exhilarating feeling of her life to date. Her only regret was not remembering her mother's smile.

She shook herself out of her stupor and readied her blades. Despite Yang's advantage in her choice in skates, Blake knew her girlfriend was like a bull in a china shop, for better or for worse. She would naturally have trouble avoiding collateral damage, but their agreement that making someone fall would automatically mean disqualification.

Yang went first. She really wanted to win and make Blake pay for the tons and tons of meat she was so going to buy once they were out of here, but at the same time, her girlfriend mentality yearned for the opposite outcome. Regardless, she was going to win either way, but she shoved all unnecessary thoughts aside and readied herself in the iconic speedskater position. Her Faunus girlfriend timed her from the sidelines, as they both agreed that having two Hunters blundering across the ice in a race would not bode well for the other skaters.

"GO!" Blake shouted, and Yang tore off madly with skates making waves of snow as she passed. She managed to avoid the first ten or so people, but nearly crashed haphazardly into an elderly man. With profuse apologies as she narrowly dodged him and several other skaters in front of him, she continued to blaze her way around the ring. Even though they agreed on no semblances, Yang's eyes turned red as she focused on reaching her objective. Not that Blake cared: as long as her hair didn't catch on fire, no rules had been broken as far as she was concerned. In spite of the huge rink, Yang covered the distance in a little over two and a half minutes.

Yang arrived panting in front of Blake. The cat Faunus merely looked amused at her girlfriend's bedraggled state and handed her scroll off to let her keep the time. Once more, a resounding "GO!" was heard, and the other skaters quickly headed for the walls. They had learned their lesson during Yang's run. However, they had nothing to fear.

Thanks to her heritage, Blake was able to avoid coming hitting any of the stragglers due to the lightning fast reflexes of any feline worth her salt. Unlike Yang's more straightforward attempt of only moving out of her straight line at the last moment, Blake was able to accurately predict the movements of the now cautious passerby and avoid the obstacles with smaller risk and a faster time. Blake cleared the milestone in just under two minutes, barely even out of breath.

Yang pouted at her loss but accepted it just the same. It only made her want to know this side of her girlfriend more: a Blake who was more carefree, fun-loving, and risk-taking. After the whole ordeal, the two merely skated leisurely to avoid being thrown out and banned for life. The employees stopping glaring at them, and they glided around without paying attention to the time. Eventually, the session ended, and Blake and Yang returned their skates.

We should totally bring the Ice Queen and Rubes for a spin here next time! But maybe we should get to that shopping," Yang had still not gotten off her high from the mini competition. She was warm and fuzzy after activating her Semblance and only fell once. Okay maybe it was because she was skating backwards and watching if Blake would react to a little swaying of hips. Needless to say she didn't try it again.

However, she noticed that her girlfriend wasn't as lucky. Her thin clothes allowed the freezing air to penetrate, and despite not falling, Blake felt like someone just dumped a bucket of ice water on her. Like the, what was it? Ice Bucket Challenge for Aura Shock? Regardless, she didn't want to step into the air conditioned interior of the mall. Luckily, Yang was a walking space heater. They held hands and Yang turned up her Semblance, enough for passerby to flinch as they passed. Blake was unconcerned by the odd looks and basked in the radiant heat. Yang brought her to the food court in a courtyard without a roof, effectively escaping the cold masses of air behind them.

 **A/N: Sorry for the weird formatting. I guess it corrupted when I tried uploading it? Regardless, I will minimize these errors in the future. -Ferr**


	17. Chapter 17

As soon as Blake had warmed up enough to accompany the blonde on her sprees, they set forth into the maze of stores to get, as Yang dubbed it, "the awesomest Rubles present ever". This basically consisted of red or blake casual clothing, weapon parts, and cookies. For someone like Yang, who knew her sister like the back of her hand, it wasn't hard to figure out what Ruby would want. As so, they dashed madly back and forth across the hallways with bags in tow.

They first stopped at Vale Outfitters, a high-quality store that carried a wide selection of clothing. The vibe definitely resonated with Yang's more revealing nature, and although part of her wanted Ruby to have a more varying taste in clothing, anything risque or overly flaunting would earn embarrassed rambling and a speedy return to the store. Yang used Blake as a model as the two were similar in sizes.

"Here, go try this on," Yang pushed a package into Blake's arms and nodded at the dressing rooms. Blake hesitated but figured that nothing could go wrong. She stepped into the wood paneled room and took out a frilly dress with black overlays. She wasn't sure what it was, having never encountered anything like it before. It seemed vaguely familiar, like something she imagined a highborn person would wear. Well, except maybe Weiss.

The cat Faunus stepped out of the room for Yang to judge. Immediately, her girlfriend dropped some shirt she was inspecting and ran over with eyes glinting with delight. She started laughing hysterically, attracting more unwanted stares and a few mutterings as other customers turned away.

"Yang?" Blake was unsure what to make of this debacle before her. Did she put the dress on wrong or something? It sure wasn't on backward.

It took a while for the boxer to regain enough breath to speak. "I didn't think you would actually put the maid outfit on!" she admitted. Blake's mind processed the words before she glared at Yang and stormed back into the dressing room to put her regular outfit back on.

After exhausting Yang's other whims (including some swimwear and a few cosplay costumes), they settled on a cute black dog onesie (which they agreed perfectly described Ruby's hyperactive tendencies), a red hoodie for inconspicuous stakeouts, and a pair of sturdy combat boots. By the time they looked through a window on the third floor, the sun was behind one of the many corporate buildings in the area. Yang got a text as she was checking the time.

"U hve dinner yet?" It was from Ruby, who was probably too lazy to write properly despite her Semblance.

Not that she had any right to complain. Yang replied with an equally grammar-defying "Nope me n blake are eating out after we're done shopping. U want anything from the mall?"

The response was just as she expected. "Sniper rounds, new steel sheets, dog food, and cookies! Also meet us at Ren's restaurant 7 for dinner with the team".

So they only needed to pick up a few more things. She and Blake stopped at the pet shop to get dog food for Zwei. Blake was distracted by the fish aquariums and the cat toys section, leaving Yang to forcibly drag her away after making all the necessary purchases.

They popped into the weapons store to get parts for Crescent Rose and their own weapons and finally left the mall. Yang led them to a deserted alley before calling for her locker. Together, they stuffed all the items inside, which barely managed to contain the entirety of Ruby's gifts, and sent it back to Beacon.

"Isn't it great being a Beacon student?" Yang was more than glad to not have to haul around a shopping cart's worth of things for the remainder of the day. "Now, let's get to Ruby's favorite bakery so we can get her some cookies." Blake could already smell the baked goods from several blocks away. She led the way, and an amused Yang followed behind. They ended up at the back door, from which a distinctive scent could be traced. It was the exact same as the cookies Ruby ate in the dorms and those that Yang had hidden in an emergency stash inside one of Blake's several false books hidden among her real ones. With an air of an experienced buyer, Yang quickly stepped into the shop, picked the freshest cookies, and paid within five minutes. Then, they walked to the "Not For Rent" restaurant, where Ren worked.


	18. Chapter 18

By the time Weiss and Ruby got to the bottom of the hill after six, the afternoon was fading into twilight. A combination of high rise skyscrapers and the early winter made for an early but long-lasting twilight period. They kept their hands intertwined as Ruby rapidly typed out a message to Yang.

"U hve dinner yet?" The message made a whoosh sound as it traveled across the DustNet faster than Ruby herself.

Almost instantaneously, Yang replied with a "Nope me n blake are eating out after we're done shopping. U want anything from the mall?"

Ruby's eyes lit up brighter than a Christmas tree. "Sniper rounds, new steel sheets, dog food, and cookies! Also meet us at Ren's restaurant 7 for dinner with the team" she fired back.

It took the two of them half an hour to locate the actual establishment. Ruby, who was the only one out of the two that actually knew the place, led them down multiple streets and alleys before Weiss took matters into her own hands and looked it up on her scroll. She didn't mind the walking: it meant she got to spend more time with her girlfriend and remain relatively early. They finally arrived in front of a grandiose yet nondescript building. It stood three stories high and the gray exterior was a giant paneled window. Despite its impressively modern look and imposing size, the Not For Rent restaurant still managed to exude an air of familiarity and friendliness.

The automatic door swung inwards, and Weiss strode in confidently. Her girlfriend followed more meekly behind her, more intent on drinking in her surroundings. In the middle of the moderately bustling room was Ren, busy clearing off a table with his back to them. Another waiter went up to them and asked, "How many people?" They were sent to the appropriately sized square table and there they sat patiently for Blake and Yang to show up, occupying a corner.

Ruby picked up a menu and immediately flipped to the end, where the sugary drinks were. Weiss noticed this and cocked an eyebrow at her. "Ruby, we can't have you on a sugar high for the rest of the night," she exclaimed. "Remember the last time Yang let you drink soda at the movie theaters?"

"Hey, that was one time, okay? The movie was soooo boring. It's not my fault that I ended up dropping popcorn everywhere just because the bucket's too weak." Weiss visibly tried to avoid looking into Ruby's tried and true puppy eyes. Those bottomless silver orbs were impossible to escape. Unfortunately, her perfectionist nature chose that moment to manifest as her own ice blue eyes were drawn to the scarlet cloak pinned messily to Ruby's corset with the silver crosses. Normally, it was neat and proper, but her own OCD tendencies forced her to be sucked into the vastly infinite nature of her eyes.

"Fine," Weiss relented. The Schnee patented eye-roll was back in full force, even though she couldn't help giving a wry smile.

"Yay! Love you Weiss!"

Weiss blushed furiously at the casual remark. "I guess," she averted her eyes and scanned the menu. Most of the items were lettered in a golden Copernican script, but at the end of the entreé list was something that caught her attention.

"Giant Cookie - 80 Lien; free if finished within 30 minutes by ONE person. DISCLAIMER: The restaurant is not responsible for any sick customers as a result of this food."

"Hey Ruby, would you like to eat a giant cookie?"

A few minutes later, Blake and Yang strolled in casually with cookies in tow. Ren pointed them to the correct table, despite serving the few other customers scattered throughout the establishment. Yang slid smoothly into the seat closest to Ruby, who, despite her best efforts, was salivating over her soon to appear dessert and gushing the praises of her beloved girlfriend Weiss Schnee. Even after years of living with the hyperactive girl, it was still a struggle to comprehend the general basis of her ramblings.

Thankfully, Blake, who couldn't understand a word, came to the rescue. "Ruby calm down. We brought you cookies, but you can't eat them if you're talking faster than you can chew."

At this, Ruby jumped up and squeaked, "More cookies? This must be a dream!" and consequently almost began to start dancing, until Weiss yanked her back into her seat faster than another hypersonic word could even be heard. The other patrons were sitting too far away to have heard the outburst, but none of the table's occupants wanted to risk any social embarrassment.

Weiss, as was the usual custom when the team went out together, waved her SDC credit card at them and tossed menus at each member of the team. It was another carb-rich meal for Yang, whose idea of a good dinner meant anything deep-fried or unhealthy. She ended up ordering fried chicken, feeling that she needed it after such a roller coaster ride of a day with Blake. Weiss had already offered to pay for it all, and she couldn't pass up the chance. It was nice to not worry about money every once in a while. On the other hand, Blake selected a fish taco, which was lower in grease and fats, and a side of hand-rolled tuna sashimi. Weiss insisted on being the healthiest and chose to order a Mistralian steamed vegetarian dish that everybody seemed to look at with an air of distaste. Ruby got a less sugary drink to satisfy her girlfriend and her sister, but still ended up with coconut juice. Blake noticed that she didn't order a dinner, curiously enough.

In no time, the waiters had served their dinners. Perhaps because Ren knew them, their table was given the top priority. But instead of anything resembling a normal meal in front of their "fearless team leader" Ruby (banzai!), a giant chocolate chip cookie the size of a shield was laid down, drawing the stares of the curious. Nobody would have been able to resist if it was just a normal sized cookie. Chocolate was oozing out and the smell of freshly baked cookie wafted through the air. And with eyes gleaming like an excited puppy, Ruby got to work.

Blake, normally the second-fastest eater of the group (after Ruby of course), finished her meal first at the twenty-minute mark. After setting the dishes neatly in a stack, she started cheering on the caped reaper, who only had a quarter of the cookie left. Sensing the light at the end of the tunnel, Ruby started eating even faster. Her Semblance, which had kicked in long ago, left her hands little more than blurs and the occasional rose petal fluttering about. On the plus side, it burned the sugar she just ate, essentially leaving her with room for more cookie. Yang also finished her chicken, leaving only the slightly bemused Weiss to finish her mystery vegetarian dish, and started spouting words of encouragement to tide her sister over to the end.

With a minute left on the time and only a few bites of cookie left, Ren came over with his scroll. The timer was pulled up on screen. Ruby frantically kicked her Semblance into hyper speed and shoved whatever remained of the baked good into her mouth. Weiss finally gave up on her food and focused more on Ruby.

"GO RUBY YOU'RE ALMOST THERE," shouted Yang. The rest of the restaurant seemed to be on edge, clutching seats and holding breaths.

Blake was also hyped, bow unconsciously twitching in excitement. "Finish strong Ruby," she muttered.

Ren started counting down. "15… 14… 13… 12…"

Weiss only smirked. "Come on, you dolt."

And with that motivation, who could lose?

 **Author's Note:**

 **Hello again, readers! It's been a while since my last post, mostly because I couldn't figure out how to write the ending. I only hope it was satisfactory. Since it's summer now, I hope to be posting more often!**

 **-Ferr**

 **Edit: Looking back, this fic is absolutely terrible. It makes me cringe so much it's not even funny. However, it _has_ served its purpose, namely as my first venture into the world of fanfiction. Apologies to those who were genuinely interested, but I personally think it's time to retire it.**


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